• Livestock

Disinfection after an HPAI outbreak

The BroilerNet project involves a bottom-up approach to identify challenges and innovation needs for broiler farmers in Europe, and to collect promising and already successfully implemented Good Practices to meet the challenges in questions. The top Good Practices selected by experts within the three thematic areas (animal health management, animal welfare and sustainability) have been summarized in factsheets. The management of a Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) outbreak hinges upon evaluating its spread from the initial focus and the duration required to restore the initial situation. Effective management necessitates meticulous preparation and evaluation of all procedures in advance. These protocols encompass actions to take in case of suspicion, cleaning and disinfection measures, movement controls, safety precautions, personnel hygiene, and the handling of carcasses, faeces , feed, fomites, and other materials. Moreover, ensuring the availability of essential materials such as sampling equipment, personal protective gear (PPE), disinfectants, soap, and related supplies is imperative. Auxiliary facilities like changing rooms, machinery, and staff provisions should also be primed for swift deployment. This comprehensive readiness approach optimizes the response to HPAI outbreaks, minimizing their impact and facilitating a prompt return to normal operations. The proposed good practice in the field of animal health to fight against HPAI aims after an outbreak has been declared, focus on disinfecting all areas and elements that could be sources of virus dissemination or encounter disseminating elements. This includes disinfecting the entire external area of affected poultry barns and the entry and exit areas for people and vehicles. All vehicles entering and leaving the farm must be carefully disinfected.